Key recommendations for governments
Governments should ratify and implement key International Labour Organisation workplace health and safety conventions, including C139 on occupational cancer, C162 on asbestos, C155 on Health and Safety at Work, C167 on Health and Safety in Construction and C170 on chemical safety.
Occupational cancer prevention should be recognised by governments as a major public health priority and should be allocated resources accordingly.
A national occupational cancer and carcinogens awareness campaign should be launched.
A tripartite working party, including representatives of governments, unions, employers, health and safety campaign organisations and occupational disease victims’ and advocacy organisations, should review the national occupational cancer strategy.
Wherever possible, IARC Group 1 (definite) and Group 2A (probable) carcinogens should be targeted a phase out within a designated timeframe, to be replaced by safer alternatives.
Toxics Use Reduction legislation should be introduced to encourage the use of the safest suitable substances and processes. The precautionary principle should be applied to substances suspected of causing cancer in humans.
A national system of occupational health records should be developed to ensure adequate recording of workplace exposures and other occupational cancer risk factors. Employers must have a duty to inform any workers of their exposures to known or suspected workplace cancer risks and carcinogens.
A National Exposure Database should be created.
National health and safety authorities should provide resources for training of union safety reps in "lay epidemiology", techniques for the early recognition of work-related diseases, including cancer.
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